TAKE TIMBER ‘INDABA’ SERIOUSLY, SAW MILLERS URGED
By NATION REPORTER THERE must be no winner or loser in the discussions called by the Ministry of Lands to find a OastinJ soOXtion to the chaOOenJes facinJ the tiPEer industry, Zambia National Association of Sawmillers (ZNAS) president William Bwalya said yesterday.
Mr Bwalya appealed to all participants in the meeting to be level-headed in their deliberations because the matter was a national issue.
Mr Bwalya who was speaking to the Daily Nation, said while members from various associations had rejected the policy guidance from the ministry over the running of the timber companies, his association was optimistic that better resolutions would result from engagements lined up with the forestry department and later with the minister herself.
He said such engagements were long overdue and that it was only logical that both government and the saw millers exercised levelheadedness and focused on the challenges facing the sector if workable and plausible solutions were to be found.
He said there was no need to take the deliberations personal because the issues surrounding timber business malaise was not a personal one but a national matter whose individual interests of the players were represented by their leaders.
“The ZNAS is happy that the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has opened up dialogue with the stakeholders to find solutions to sector problems. There is no winner nor vanquished in the discussions. It is for the good of the nation.
“However, the stakeholders rejected the policy guidance from the minister save for government intention to establish satellite factories in rural areas to actualize job creation and wealth creation among the youth. This is long overdue but can be more practical if this project can be private sector driven. It is a step forward. Further discussions will continue with forestry department next week before getting back to the minister in two weeks’ time,” Mr. Bwalya said.
He challenged stakeholders to take the clarion call by Minister of Lands Jean Kapata to dialogue seriously as that was the only way their concerns would be addressed.
“For the stakeholders, it is incumbent upon them that they accept the minister’s call for dialogue seriously and selflessly and come up with workable solutions to move the sector forward, reduce illegal logging, and walk the talk.
“We regard the meeting as a first good step forward. :e are grateful to all those who worked to open this dialogue, including the Daily Nation newspaper. We shall take the discussions with both our hands for national good,” he said.